Mystery surrounds the detection of 1,500 chromium-plated
star symbols which indicate the rank of policemen in the possession of an
Indian national working in a Kovil in Kandy.

The stars are worn on either shoulder of a policeman’s
uniform and the number denotes his rank.

A Sub Inspector of Police wears one star on each shoulder
of the uniform, an Inspector two, a Chief Inspector three, A
Superintendent wears one star with a crown while a Senior Superintendent
of Police wears two stars with a crown.

The suspect told police that he was given the parcel of
stars by a person in India and had been told that it would be collected on
his arrival at the Katunayake Airport. However, no one had met him at the
Airport so he had kept it with him. He said he had arrived in Sri Lanka
only a few days ago and that he specializes in painting statues in kovils.
After working in a Colombo kovil he had begun work in the Kandy kovil when
Police arrested him.

Police said the stars were of no use to anybody. If anyone
or a few together wanted to pose off as policemen, they wouldn’t require
1,500 star symbols.

Kandy SSP Jayantha Gamanpila, who is handling
investigations, said that the suspect was being interrogated and he was
hopeful of ascertaining the actual reason behind the stars being in the
suspect’s possession.